”Recycling has been incredibly important for decades because it’s one of the best ways we can conserve natural resources and reduce waste, especially in the commercial sector. It also plays an important role in creating a more sustainable future and helping to combat climate change. One thing people might not realize is that it typically takes significantly less energy to make a product from recycled materials than it does to manufacture the same product from virgin raw materials. That’s why recycling continues to be such an important part of protecting our environment,” says Sarah Mueller, program manager for the business waste reduction and recycling segment for Montgomery County, Maryland. With this in mind, all businesses, organizations, and local, state and federal government facilities in Montgomery County, Maryland are required to recycle, and some businesses are required to report their recycling activities to Montgomery County each year.
Mueller notes that her department’s role is to ensure that all businesses and employees in Montgomery County are aware of the county’s recycling policies and practices. “The regulations are in place to help make sure recycling is done the right way and that every business is doing its part. They create a level playing field by holding everyone to the same standards.”
Businesses are required to recycle five groups of materials—paper, including cardboard, mixed paper, and office paper; commingled materials, such as bottles, cans, and jars made from plastic, metal, and glass; scrap metal (items primarily composed of metal, such as small appliances, chairs, file cabinets, and metal shelving); yard trim (grass, leaves and prunings); and live Christmas trees.
Businesses with over 100 employees and property managers of multi-tenant properties must submit recycling reports, which Mueller’s team uses to ensure compliance with County regulations, study what types of materials are being recycled and identify opportunities for improvement or increased recycling above and beyond the requirements.
A Wealth of Resources
For businesses of all sizes and types, and especially for businesses that are new to Montgomery County, Maryland, Mueller’s department is extremely helpful and can provide an array of resources to assist with recycling efforts—all at no additional cost.
“We provide businesses with a handbook that explains the recycling regulations, ensuring they at least know the minimum requirements that they must meet, but also highlights additional opportunities to reduce waste and recycle materials beyond what is regulated, helping them adopt more sustainable practices. Additionally, we provide a number of different resources, such as the small recycling bins to go beside desks, large, 22-gallon bins that go next to a copier or in a kitchen, plus signs, posters, stickers, and much more,” says Mueller.
In addition, if a business has a janitorial crew or contracts with an outside cleaning company, they can receive janitorial training to ensure they are aware of the correct recycling procedures. “There are five staff members on my team who are in the field approximately 80% of the time doing site visits, so they can come to a business, give specific recommendations on setting up, maintaining and improving waste reduction, reuse and recycling efforts, and provide a waste reduction and recycling education session, formal presentation or ‘lunch and learn’ for their employees to explain why we’re recycling and how to be compliant. As business models change, we can always come back and conduct another event.”
For items that traditional haulers and collectors do not handle such as computers and batteries, the County can provide resources to connect businesses to dedicated recycling collection companies or drop-off opportunities in the area.
Creative Solutions
Montgomery County DEP holds an annual award recognition ceremony to celebrate those businesses exceling in their recycling initiatives, and Mueller says she is always impressed by the lengths that some businesses go.
“We have recognized a hair salon for recycling the foil from coloring, restaurants that send their oyster shells back to the Chesapeake Bay where they’re now repopulating the bay with new oysters, and student groups who collect materials such as tennis balls or plastic bags and film for specialized recycling, to name only a few.”
Recognizing that not everyone who works in Montgomery County lives in the County or vice versa, Mueller and her team also assist them with how to recycle correctly at home or at work and why it might differ from other jurisdictions.
“For example, in Montgomery County, residential recycling is a dual stream system, meaning the mixed paper has one cart, and the commingled materials—the bottles, cans, and jars—have a separate bin. This results in a cleaner and more high-quality recycling product at the end. However, the way your kids recycle at school may be different than at home or where you work, as there are different systems that can be in place. Our goal is to make sure people have the tools they need to recycle in the most effective way possible,” she says.